Porch Talk with Father Aaron

Send us Fan MailWhat drives us to seek elected office, challenging the incumbent and earning the trust of voters? It's not always easy to articulate that in a sound bite, so Fr. Aaron spoke with John Rogers, who is seeking election to the Houston County Commission Chairman's position. John Rogers is running to unseat and replace the the current chairman, Brandon Shoupe (see episode 14). They spoke about John's background, what moved him to seek this position, and what decisions he might have performed differently if he were elected to the position.  Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron talks with Joel Sewell, a training Sergeant for Dothan Fire Department in Dothan, AL. The conversation covered Joel's experiences in the fire department, what he finds most fulfilling about it, and how we see God's grace deployed to people through the work that our first responders perform. Fr. Aaron's own experience as a fire chaplain came out, and the two were able to relate through their pastoral perspectives. Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron speaks with Brandon Shoupe, the Chairman for the Houston County Commission in southeast Alabama. The conversation included the responsibilities that the country Commission Chairman faces, local politics, and the need for wisdom to meet the needs that local government can address. Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron speaks with Shelly Linderman, the Executive Director for Wiregrass Angel House (https://wiregrassangelhouse.org/) in Dothan, Alabama. For many years, they have maintained a ministry, covering eight countries in southeast Alabama, that helps families facing the trauma of a loved one they lost to either criminal homicide or tragic suicide. They discuss how Wiregrass Angel House walks "through the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4) with these families from the cleanup after discovering the deceased, all the way through the court proceedings of trial for the perpetrators. Topics of prayer, grief, and comfort are covered, all while pursuing God's beauty in a world laden with much that can be ugly. Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron speaks with Dr. Virginia Mayer who founded Living Waters Counseling (https://www.lwcounseling.net/) in Headland, Alabama, along with Kingdom College (https://www.kingdomcollege.net/) in the same town. "Ginger" had recently published a book "Modern-Day Sandcastles: The Fall of Denominationalism." While we didn't agree on all points, we were able to find common ground regarding the hope that Christians will seek unity where they can to stand against forces arrayed against the cause of Christ in the world. One point we could definitely agree on was that, for all the messiness of human organizations, which the Church certainly is, God takes inexplicable pleasure in using humans, flawed as we are, to perform His work in the world. Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron speaks with local veterinarian Dr. Jeff Strickland, of Briar Creek Veterinary Clinic in Dothan, Alabama about caring for our pets and how animals deliver God's grace into our lives. This is in anticipation of the forthcoming "Blessing of the Animals" at St. Matthias Anglican Church on Oct 4th. We discuss a biblical theology of "dominion" and how our cooperation with Creation can reflect the life and legacy of St. Francis of Assisi. Support the show

Send us Fan MailOne of my parishioners, Mitchell Nalley, was gracious enough to sit down and talk with me. Buckle up for a longer "drive time" than usual because we discussed several topics including higher education in America, justifications for war (including the current conflict in Ukraine), and even Post-Traumatic Stress for those that return from battle. Neither of us claimed to be an expert on these subjects, but instead offered the "everyman" perspective from our own life experiences. Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron talks with Morgan Blankenship, the Director of the Dare to Hope, Inc. in Dothan, Alabama which focuses on compassionate interventions for those that have been victims of human trafficking. Morgan shares startling information about the most common forms of trafficking happening all around us, what are some of the appropriate responses to it, and how she came to serve in this capacity. Along the way we touch on related topics regarding how God redeems us from ourselves over time, and how we find purpose in service.  Support the show

Send us Fan MailHeath Robinson is a student attending Troy University in Troy, Alabama. He also worships with us here at St. Matthias Anglican Church. Far too many clergy and elders in the church dismiss the upcoming generations as "snowflakes" or clueless rebels instead of engaging them in meaningful dialogue. In our church, we've had the privilege to facilitate deep conversations about life, faith, and the "hot button" topics of the day with young people, and it seemed good to have one of those exchanges here so you join us on this journey. Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn my conversation with Troy Fountain, owner of "Downtown Books" in Dothan, Alabama. This was our first time to chat and we discovered "it's a small world after all," having far more in common than we could have imagined. We discussed the charming bookstore that he has operated for four years now, the need for physical books and people passionate for reading, plus our shared experiences in Christian ministry. Troy's primary occupation, however, is with the Wiregrass Foundation which pursues a mission of community engagement, and he shared all the good accomplished through that organization. Support the show

Send us Fan MailI sat down with Kerry Farrell, owner/operator of "The Thirsty Pig" in Dothan, a local family-friendly pub. Kerry shares her story leading up to starting the bar, why it comes from a place of hospitality. We discuss why God seemingly gives the "gift of hospitality" to people so that vital connections can be facilitated.Support the show

Send us Fan MailYears ago, my sister, Gaylene Tupen, had read the book "Cultish" by Amanda Montell. That book had since been the catalyst to a series of conversations Gaylene and I enjoyed over time about some of the quirky religious experiences we remember from our youth. Eventually she agreed to talk about this here for others to enjoy as well. We talk about the use of special language to identify "insiders" and the use of fear as a control mechanism; tendencies that can grow into "religious malpractice" if left unchecked. Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron talks with Mark Saliba, the Mayor of Dothan, Alabama. We discussed the rigors of city government, his family story that prepared him for such responsibility, and the benefits of being in a town of "just the right size." We touched on the history and character of Dothan, where its commercial success is growing, and why it's important to listen to people. Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron talks with Susan Anderson, the Executive Director of the Wiregrass Hope Pregnancy Center in Dothan, Alabama. Our conversation ranged from the history and development of that ministry, to Susan's journey in becoming the Executive Director. Along the way we discussed strategies for assisting not only young women in crisis, but young men as well. Counseling strategies differ among organizations, but the goal for all of them is to see people made whole as they chose life for the children coming into the world. Support the show

Send us Fan MailFr. Aaron talks with Darlene Ott, an immigrant from the Philippines,  naturalized as a U.S. citizen just months after we were married. We discuss her experience going through the legal immigration process, why it differs so much from illegal migration (which has been a contentious political topic for 30 years), and how the steps in joining American society have parallels in how Christians assimilate into the Christian community. Some of the other themes that arise include the challenges related to religious choice in the U.S., and why boundaries on choice are helpful for addressing the anxiety that comes from too many options. Support the show

Send us Fan MailOur inaugural episode of "Porch Talk with Fr. Aaron" at Saint Matthias Anglican Church in Dothan, AL. We WILL work out the kinks and get better at our presentation, but as out first try, this conversation was too important not to post. Fr. Aaron talks with Tyler Jahraus, a student at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, about the book "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk M.D. We discuss ways to look at family trauma in light of the 5th Commandment to "Honor your father and your mother," acknowledging how difficult that might be for some with generational trauma from abuse or other circumstances. Support the show